Grow it or buy it?
I was interested in Monty’s trips to Europe and our attitude to growing our own food
(Full Monty, September issue).
I have an allotment that is 30m x 10m and grow the food that I like to eat, and I buy very little from the supermarket. Potatoes being the exception, which I buy and eat infrequently in any event. On my allotment I grow a huge variety of veg including beans, kohlrabi, beetroot, leeks and winter veg such as kale. Some is pickled, frozen or made into jam, and the rest eaten fresh. Harvesting the food less than a mile from my home means it couldn’t be fresher. With gardens getting smaller and the waiting list for allotments getting longer, there is a need and want for people to grow their own food but not always the opportunity.
Sharon Scott, South Yorkshire
I read with interest the article by Monty Don about why he grows veg, and what he does with the amount that he harvests during a summer. While Monty’s strategy works for him and his family, we are currently going through a different experience. The problem with veg is that crops ripen at a certain time in a constant flow and it can be overwhelming to see the amount that suddenly turns up. What many people underestimate is the cost of freezing the harvest. The freezing process itself is by no means environment friendly, and in our case makes up a quarter of the monthly energy bill. I think it is a cheaper option to buy veggies from a local organic farm shop – ours produces veg all year round on their own land and in huge greenhouses.
Simone Hannemann, Wiltshire
I read with considerable sympathy of Sue Johnson’s frustrations when creating a meadow (Have your say, September issue). Like her, our meadow starts to look scruffy later in the season as the grass gets longer, with few flowers and many gone to seed. We found that mowing a path through it makes it look a whole lot better. The grass and spent wildflowers can flop all they like, as long as that path is tidy. Also, because we use our mower’s highest setting, the path is full of clover, which keeps the bees happy. We got these tips from reading and watching Gardeners’ World, naturally!
Suzi Hutson, London